blog

Affordability in Non-Medical Pet Services

David Lummis — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Although the stock market continues to defy gravity, post pandemic economic challenges exacerbated by tariffs and the Iran war have resulted in what is now often referred to as an “affordability crisis” across the pet market, including in non-medical pet services. It isn’t just a buzz term. Many Americans are struggling to afford basics like gas and groceries, and this is reverberating in the non-medical pet services market in the form of belt-tightening. As shown by Packaged Facts’ August 2026 Survey of Pet Owners, 22% of the pet owners who have or had been grooming customers within the past three years cut back – even more than for veterinary services (19%), with other services also feeling the burn.

New Directions in Veterinary Services

David Sprinkle — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Headwinds and New Directions in the Veterinary Sector

The veterinary sector has been declining in real dollar terms since 2022 – and especially so in 2025, posting only 2.0% dollar growth despite 7.1% sector inflation.

The Cat Care Gap

Shannon Landry — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

As the number of kitten-owning households surpasses those with puppies for the first time since Packaged Facts started tracking these populations, the pet industry overall has had to face a harsh reality: cats remain an underserved minority across much of the market.

Packaged Facts | Blog

Shannon Landry — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

I’m not an economist by any means, but I’ve been following with interest the discussions around the emerging "E-shaped" economy, sometimes described as a "three-speed" economy. Unlike the earlier "K-shaped" recovery narrative, which focused primarily on two trajectories of economic winners and losers, the E-shaped framework highlights three distinct consumer groups that are increasingly separated by financial capacity: affluent households continuing to spend freely, financially stable but cautious middle-income consumers, and economically strained households facing ongoing budget pressures. This framework offers a useful lens for understanding the pet market's current trajectory.

Nearly 40% of Pet Owners Are Unsure About Vaccines. Here Is Why It Matters.

Shannon Landry — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Last year, in my blog post What Measles Outbreaks Reveal About the Pet Medications Market, I talked about how declining trust in healthcare institutions and the rise of vaccine skepticism among Americans could have implications for veterinary medicine. At the time, evidence suggested that attitudes toward human vaccines were beginning to spill over into pet healthcare decisions. Just over a year later, new data from Packaged Facts confirms that vaccine hesitancy and broader knowledge gaps about preventive pet healthcare are becoming increasingly important factors shaping demand for pet medications.

The Retail-ization of Vet and Pet Services

David Sprinkle — Tue, 19 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The Retail-ization of Vet and Pet Services

For the past two decades, key veterinary industry players have been capturing a greater share of the business through acquisition of larger and successful local veterinary practices or regional veterinary networks, which are seen by venture capital as a desirable investment for cash flow. At the same time, veterinary corporate and branded chain players are opening up new avenues to growth by resetting the boundaries between corporate and local models, and between traditional and alternative vet services.

Chronic Absenteeism and What the Data is Telling Us

Martha Scharping — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

When Students Stop Showing Up: What Chronic Absenteeism Is Really Telling Us

There is a moment happening in classrooms across the country that does not always show up clearly in attendance reports.

Pet Supplements in the US Blog

Shannon Landry — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

As pet owners increasingly prioritize health and wellness, longevity and healthy aging supplements for pets are emerging as one of the most promising opportunities in the US pet supplements market. While overall category growth has slowed in recent years, demand for products that help pets live longer, healthier lives continues to gain momentum.

Universal School Choice & ESAs: Structural Education Finance Shift in 2026

Martha Scharping — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Universal school choice is no longer a peripheral policy issue. Across a growing number of states, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and voucher programs are expanding eligibility and participation—shifting from narrowly defined student categories toward broader access models that alter how public education funding is allocated.

Parallel Signals in K-12 Assessment: Insights from Otus and Renaissance

Martha Scharping — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Parallel Signals: What Otus and Renaissance Separately Reveal About the Next Phase of the Assessment Market

In recent weeks, Simba Information sat down for detailed interviews with Chris Hull, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Otus, and Todd Brekhus, Chief Product Officer at Renaissance, as part of our newsletter Spotlight coverage. While the two companies differ in history, product architecture, and market positioning, their strategic, while independent, narratives reveal notable commonalities that extend beyond individual product announcements.